A NIGHT WITH THE HOPS

This may not be a sad day for most people, but I am bummed out after finding out last night that Allagash will be pulling out of Florida for lack of demand.  I am not sure how soon or if it has technically happened already, but my sources are pretty reliable.  As a result I will be requiring bottles of Allagash goodness from all of my northeastern friends and relatives when they visit before I will provide them with sleeping quarters.  An Allagash shirt will be worn this evening in an effort to help me grieve.

For this week . . .

• If only to balance out my beer universe I will lead with a few new releases from Cigar City Brewing.  If I can’t have my Allagash anymore at least I will be able to have a little José Martí, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, and Sea Bass to help me cope.
• I will likely have to request a few cans of Genesee beers when my family comes to visit as well.  That is not because I have not had them before, but because I really want to see what the new 24 ounce cans look like.  Thanks to Mr. S. Jim for a heads up on that new arrival!
• Thanks to The Wife and Cousin Erin for sending me this list of beers as they well know I am a sucker for such rundowns.  Now I need to get working on trying the ones I have yet to get to on that one.
• I really had to pass along this one not because they are yet another craft brewer that has turned to canning their beer, but because he says that they use a hand-operated filler and seamer that limits them to sealing one can at a time.  That is crazy!
• To close this week is a little about one of the pioneers of craft beer and the collaboration brew that was recently created with someone who he inspired along the way.  Not a really long read, but definitely a good one.

Ken Grossman and Jack McAuliffe (via http://www.washingtonpost.com/)

Cheers!